-Sabato Neufville Urges Early Preparedness, Public Awareness Amid Regional Ebola Concerns
MONROVIA — Former United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Public Information and Community Outreach Supervisor Sabato J. Neufville is warning Liberians not to dismiss growing regional Ebola concerns, drawing painful lessons from the country’s devastating 2014 outbreak that claimed thousands of lives and crippled the nation’s health system.
Neufville, who is now based in the USA, and who played a frontline role in public health communication and awareness campaigns during Liberia’s Ebola crisis, issued the warning amid heightened public attention following reports of Ebola outbreaks elsewhere in Africa and increased health surveillance measures across the region.
In a public statement, the former UNMIL communicator urged both the Government of Liberia and ordinary citizens to begin taking preventive preparedness measures seriously instead of spreading panic, misinformation, or conspiracy theories.
“I urge the Government and citizens of Liberia to treat this information with serious caution and to begin taking the necessary preventive actions immediately,” Neufville stated.
“We Have Seen This Before”
Reflecting on the painful memories of the 2014 Ebola epidemic, Neufville recalled how many Liberians initially dismissed early warnings about the deadly virus until the outbreak spiraled into a national catastrophe.
“I remember clearly that between the end of 2013 and the beginning of the Ebola crisis in Liberia, there were widespread rumors about Ebola,” he recounted.
“At that time, many people did not understand the disease and refused to believe it existed.”
According to Neufville, public resistance to health awareness campaigns became one of the major early challenges facing both the Liberian Government and international partners during the outbreak.
As part of the UNMIL Public Information Section and public health awareness team, he said he traveled across Liberia educating communities about Ebola prevention, symptoms, and transmission.
“In many communities, we were attacked and prevented from carrying out awareness activities because some people believed Ebola was fake and that the government was creating the story to receive money from the international community,” he recalled.
Liberia recorded one of the deadliest impacts during the West African Ebola outbreak, which devastated Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia between 2014 and 2016. Thousands of Liberians died, including doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and entire families.
Calls for Immediate Preventive Measures
Neufville is now calling for strengthened preventive measures, including tighter health screening at borders and airports, improved public awareness campaigns, preparation of treatment centers, and nationwide health education efforts.
According to him, prevention and preparedness remain Liberia’s strongest defense against another possible outbreak.
“These actions should include strengthening screening measures at all borders and airports, preparing possible Ebola treatment centers, and increasing public awareness through radio jingles, social media campaigns, schools, places of worship, government ministries, and community outreach programs,” he emphasized.
“Early prevention and preparedness can save lives.”
He further warned that any major outbreak in Liberia or the sub-region could become disastrous, particularly amid ongoing global economic pressures and fragile healthcare systems across West Africa.
“The world is currently facing a global economic crisis, and any major outbreak in Liberia or the sub-region could become a serious disaster not only for West Africa but for the entire African continent,” he cautioned.
A Voice Familiar With Public Health Emergencies
Beyond his UNMIL service, Neufville has remained active in youth development, education, and humanitarian initiatives in Liberia.
He is the founder of the Kingsley Lington Academy located in Cooper Farm near the University of Liberia’s Fendall campus — an institution originally envisioned as a youth center before evolving into a school serving underprivileged children following Liberia’s civil war.
Neufville was also widely recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic for being among the first Liberians to publicly support the Government of Liberia’s national response efforts. In 2020, he donated anti-COVID-19 materials and support valued at approximately US$10,000 through the Ministry of Health. The donation included personal protective equipment (PPEs), nose masks, hand gloves, and a COVID-19 awareness song aimed at educating communities about prevention measures during the height of the outbreak. His intervention earned praise from public health authorities and further strengthened his reputation as a youth advocate actively engaged in national emergency response initiatives.
Government Maintains No Ebola Case Confirmed
Liberian health authorities have meanwhile repeatedly clarified that there are currently no confirmed Ebola cases in Liberia despite growing social media rumors and heightened public concern.
The Ministry of Health, National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), and John F. Kennedy Medical Center recently issued a joint statement urging citizens to avoid spreading misinformation and rely only on official public health updates.
Authorities say surveillance measures remain active at health facilities and border points as part of regional preparedness efforts.
For Neufville, however, Liberia’s painful history with Ebola should serve as a permanent lesson.
“Preparedness, awareness, and prevention are key,” he stressed.
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